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MAC: cross-strait cultural exchanges benefit everybody

Cultural, economic and civilian exchanges across the Taiwan Strait have continued to grow since last month, Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Vice Chairman Chiu Tai-san (邱太三) said yesterday.

Speaking at a regular news conference, Chiu said the council was optimistic about the development of cross-strait relations because bilateral commercial and cultural exchanges have been on an upward swing since last month.

Chiu said that the council had continued to extend olive bran-ches to China and had taken consistent steps to promote cross-strait exchanges.

"We have invited the top Chinese negotiator with Taiwan, Wang Daohan (汪道涵), to visit, and have allowed an additional Chinese news organization to post a journalist in Taiwan," Chiu said.

Wang is president of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait, a semi-official body set up to handle cross-strait affairs in the absence of official contacts.

Commenting on a proposal by students from China's Tsinghua University that Beijing should purchase Taiwanese goods with Chinese currency in order to influence Taiwan's economy, Chiu said the two sides should promote bilateral trade and commercial exchanges in line with WTO regulations and the terms under which both countries entered the WTO.

"Neither side should impose any unnecessary barrier to hinder bilateral commercial exchanges. Such moves would not benefit either side," Chiu said.

Chiu also reaffirmed a policy encouraging cultural exchanges across the Strait.

Chiu also responded to a media report that the new general manager of the state-owned Chinese Television System (CTS) would direct the company to no longer purchase drama series that have been produced in China.

He said the council was not in a position to comment on CTS' strategy.
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